Breast Lift

A mastopexy (more commonly known as a breast lift) is a surgical procedure designed to lift sagging breasts and restore the more youthful, shapely profile you enjoyed before age, fluctuations in weight, and breastfeeding began to adversely affect their appearance. Changes in your body after pregnancy and breastfeeding may have left your once full breasts looking droopy and deflated. When combined with the pull of gravity and the natural decrease in collagen and elastin in your skin as you age, the result is loose, excess skin, asymmetries in your breast size and shape, as well as nipples that aren’t as perky as they used to be.

At Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC, Dr. Franziska Huettner understands that inevitable changes to the appearance of your breasts can leave you feeling self-conscious about how your body looks, but these inevitable changes don’t have to be permanent ones. In fact, breast lifts were one of the top three most requested cosmetic surgeries in 2018, with nearly 160,000 women in the U.S. choosing to undergo this confidence-boosting procedure.

Determining if You are a Candidate for a Breast Lift

As with any cosmetic surgery procedure, not everyone is an ideal candidate for a breast lift. The only way to be certain that a breast lift is the right choice to restore your figure and renew your confidence is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC. She will perform a comprehensive examination, and her extensive experience and expertise in breast lift surgery will provide her with the information she needs to determine if a breast lift is right for you. Some of the criteria she uses in her evaluation is as follows:

You are maintaining a stable, healthy body weight
Fluctuations in your weight affect your breasts, so before you consider a lift, you should be at a weight that you can easily maintain on a long-term basis.

You are finished having children and breastfeeding
Again, the weight changes that accompany pregnancy and breastfeeding can have an adverse effect on your breasts, leaving them deflated and saggy. For better and more lasting results, discuss any immediate family planning with Dr. Huettner, so you can determine when it is the right time for you to undergo a breast lift surgery.

You notice that your breasts have lost volume, changed shape or sag
In many cases, one or all of these issues may be a factor in your desire for a breast lift. Other concerns may include breasts that appear asymmetrical (one breast is smaller or hangs lower), or excess or loose skin that makes your breasts sag or look pendulous.

Your nipples point down
One of the ways Dr. Huettner determines the degree of sagging in your breasts is to see how far below your breast crease your nipples are when you don’t have the support of a bra.

Incision Options for Your Breast Lift

Once Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC has examined your breasts and discussed with you your needs and desired outcomes of your breast lift, she will determine which incision technique will provide you with the best results. Some of the factors in this decision include:

Size and shape of your breasts

Degree of sagging

Quality and elasticity of your skin

Size and position of your areolas and nipples

Amount of excess skin for removal

Incision Techniques for Your Breast Lift

There are several incision techniques to choose from when performing a breast lift, each of which addresses the specifics listed above, including:

Crescent Lift

This method is best for women who have a minor amount of sagging, or who want a bit of a lift during a breast augmentation procedure. Dr. Huettner makes a crescent-shaped incision around the top edge of your areola, lifting the sagging tissue through the incision. The scar is small and is typically hidden in the darker skin edge of your areola.

Peri-Areolar Lift

Also known as a “donut lift,” this method requires an incision extending all the way along the outside edge of the areola. It is used for the correction of mild sagging, and is used more often than the crescent technique to both provide lift and to place implants. It is also a good choice for those who want to reduce the size of the areola during the lift procedure.

Vertical Lift

This technique is also called a “lollipop lift,” and is commonly used to correct moderate sagging. This method incorporates the peri-areolar incision, adding another vertical incision that extends from the areola to the breast crease (or inframammary fold), creating an incision that looks like a lollipop. A lollipop lift allows Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC to remove excess skin and reshape your breast tissue, providing beautiful results with minimal scarring.

Anchor Lift

An anchor lift is designed to address severe sagging, and is typically the best option for women who have pendulous breasts and significant amounts of excess skin and breast tissue. This procedure combines the incisions of the lollipop lift with an additional incision along the inframammary fold. An anchor lift can be performed alone, or in combination with a breast reduction. The incision are thin and still mostly hidden by the darker skin of the areola and your natural breast crease.

Auto-augmentation

During the breast lift, Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC can utilize special flap techniques to reshape your breasts by rearranging your breast tissue to to achieve a more fuller and lifted appearance of your breast.

Surgery, Results, and Recovery

A breast lift is an outpatient procedure, performed using general anesthesia. Once Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC makes the appropriate incisions, she will remove the necessary excess skin, lift the remaining skin, and re-contour the underlying breast tissue, improving both the shape and firmness of your breasts. Your nipples and areola are then repositioned to ensure a balanced, natural look, and the incision is carefully closed.

After your breast lift surgery, you will experience swelling and some minor pain, but this is normal and easily managed with over-the-counter pain medication. Dr. Huettner will have you wear a compression garment to protect and support your breasts and help minimize swelling as you heal. You will need to rest and avoid activities that engage your upper body for at least a week after surgery, though these restrictions will depend on the extent of your surgery and how quickly you are healing. Most patients can return to their job and other everyday activities at about one to two weeks after surgery, but again, this will depend on your specific needs. More strenuous activities and workouts can be resumed at about six to eight weeks post-surgery, once you are cleared by Dr. Huettner at Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC. The results of your breast lift are considered long lasting, providing that you maintain a healthy, stable weight. Some very minor sagging may occur over time, but this is a normal part of the aging process.

If you’re ready to restore the shapely, beautiful body contour that you enjoyed in your youth, Dr. Franziska Huettner can help. Call Manhattan Plastic Surgery NYC today at 212-495-9200 to schedule a consultation.